Rail fixing means facilitating the laying of the rails in long bars



Q 1964 R. P. SONNEVILLE 3,158,323

' TING THE LAYING RAIL FIXING MEANS FACILITA OF THE RAILS IN L BARS Filed Feb. 12, 63

Fig.1 7 L 821A 4 R 11 13 7, '1 W F I B I United States Patent 3,153,323 RAIL FG MEANS FACllJITATlNG THE LAY- ING 6F Tim RAILS IN LONG BARS Roger Paul Sonneviile, Rue Maurice Ravel, St. Cloud, France Filed Feb. 12., 19x33, Ser. No. 258,018 Claims priority, application France, Feb. Q7, 1962, 889,311, Patent 1,326,628 3 Claims. (Cl. 238-283) The present invention relates to rail fixing means comprising a concrete sleeper or tie, a resilient pad placed on the upper face of the sleeper and acting as a support for the flange of the rail, fasteners for securing the rail to the sleeper and bolts which tighten down or clamp the fasteners and are mounted in vertical passageways in the sleeper so as to be capable of pivoting in a direction perpendicular to the bearing face of the rail.

These means have numerous advantages and are used to an ever increasing extent in modern tracks. However, the laying of a modern track with long welded rails has further requirements owing to the necessary mechanization.

Thus the quickest and cheapest method comprises laying the track in the form of prefabricated elements. Mechanical gantries or beam trucks permit laying the new track or renewing the old track at very high speed with the minimum of labour, the assembling operations for assembling the constituent parts being carried out in a special assembly yard.

Unfortunately, in the present state of the art it is only possible to lay track stages of limited length that usually do not exceed 30 metres. Further, for both technical and economic reasons it is preferable to form long rails by flash-welding in the workshop. Under these conditions, the production of a modern track with long welded rails necessitates replacing the short railslaid temporarily with the stages pre-assembledby welded rails of great length produced in the workshop and subsequently unloaded.

In order that this method or double substitution of rails be economical and compatible with the requirements of the trafiic it is essential that this replacement of the rails be carried out mechanically at high speed without any difiiculty.

However, with the rail fixing means of the aforementioned type the rapid replacement of the rails on the sleepers in the track in service is not easy for the following reasons:

(a) The resilient rubber pads have a tendency to ad- 3,153,323 Patented Nov. 24, 1964 ice on the latter. In particular, it is usually impossible to provide on the upper face of the sleepers shoulders between which the rail flange hecpmes exactly lodged in the position it must occupy in the transverse direction. Before putting the fasteners back into position so as to fasten the new rail, it is therefore necessary to shift it laterally and adjust its position. This considerably slows down track laying and hinders the mechanization.

The object of the invention is to remedy these disadvantages and to satisfy all the required conditions for rapidly and mechanically replacing the rails in the track with the most modern means. These proposed solutions are of course of utility not only in the laying of long bars but also in the rapid replacement of rails of normal length, for example in tunnels and in small-radius curves.

The invention provides rail fixing means of the aforementioned type in which the pad projects laterally on both sides of the bearing face of the flange of the rail, the arrangement of the vertical passageways, of the bolts and here to the flange of the rail, above all if it is oxidized.

It is therefore necessary to unstick them from the rail when it is removed and to put them back in position on the sleepers before laying the new rail. In the course of this laying of the new the pads again have a tendency to move.

(b) In order to remove the rail it is necessary to dismantle and remove the fasteners or even remove the fastener and bolt assembly. Under present conditions, the tightening down or fixing bolts are placed near to the edge of the rail flange and it is impossible to move the fasteners out of the way by turning them through 90 for raising and changing the rail. It is therefore necessary either to completely unscrew the nuts and remove the fasteners or to disengage the bolts (after having partly unscrewed them) and withdraw the fastener and bolt assembly.

(0) With the fasteners thus dismantled together with the fact that the sleepers are usually designed to receive rail flanges of different widths and laid at different track widths, the exact position that the rail must occupy on the upper face of the sleeper cannot be easily materialized of the fasteners being such that the bolts in oscillating are capable of assuming such outward inclination that their'axis is at a distance from the flange of the rail, at the level of the latter which is equal to at least one half the width of the fasteners.

In this way, with the bolts in this extreme position of inclination, it is possible to rotate the fasteners through about these bolts. They thus come into contact with the flange of the rail by the edge thereof nearest the rail and bear on said projecting portions of the pad. The rail can now .be lifted off the sleeper without lifting the pad and the fasteners exactly definethe position of the rail. Therefore, the laying of the new rail is very easy and it is fastened by returning first the fasteners and then the bolts to their initial positions and re-tightening the bolts.

For the purpose of permitting the required inclination of the bolts, the vertical passageways are widened at their upper part on the side thereof remote from the bearing face of the rail. In order toavoid an excessive widening it advantageous to arrange that the width of the fasteners be of a relatively small value. This is determined by the dimensions of the bolt clearance aperture and therefore preference is given in accordance with the invention to bolts which are composed of hard steel whose tensile strength is equal to at least 60 kg./sq. mm. and have a cold-rolled thread; their diameter can then be less than 20 mm. and the width of the fasteners is reduced accordingly.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the rail fixing means according to the invention the fasteners being shown in the left and right halves of the figure in two different operative positions.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rail fixing means comprises, in the known manner a concrete sleeper or tie T on the upper face of which is disposed a rubber pad S receiving the rail R, fasteners A for fastening the rail and bolts B for clamping or tightening down these fasteners. The bolts B comprise a hammer-shaped head 1 which is anchoredthrough a vertical passageway 2 formed in the concrete and communicating with the upper face of the sleeper-in a notch 3 formed in an inverted T-section beam 311. The latter constitutes a longitudinal reinforcement for the sleeper and a spacer member for the two blocks of the sleeper receiving the two lines of rails. The profile of the notch 3 corresponds to that of the head 1 so that the bolts B are capable of oscillating in the passageways 2 in a direction perpendicular to the bearing face of the rail R.

Each fastener A comprises a spring strip so folded as to possess two branches or leaves 4 and 5 interconnected, in the part of the fastener remote from the rail, by a loop portion 6. The upper branch 4 bears on the flange of the rail and the lower branch 5 acts as a lateral abutment for the latter. The branches 4 and 5 are provided with aligned apertures 7 for the passage of the bolts B and the latter are tightened against the fasteners by nuts 8.

Part-cylindrical recesses 9 are provided in the upper face of the sleeper T for accommodating the loop portion 6, the axes of these recesses being parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rail.

In order to permit the easy replacement of the rail R, the rail fixing means just described is arranged in a special manner according to the invention.

Firstly, the pad S laterally projects at 10 from both sides of the flange of the rail.

Secondly, theextent to which the bolt B can be pivoted is increased so that in the extreme position thereof in the direction away from the rail (position shown on the right side of FIG. 1), the distance between the axis XX of the bolts and the flange of the rail R, at the level of the latter, isequal to at least one half of the width 10f the fasteners. Owing to this arrangement, the fastener A can be turned through 90 about the axis X-X from its normal track position (left side of FIG. 1) to a track re ceiving position (right side of FIG. 1). In the receiving position it is the inner edge 11 of the fastener that comes into contact with the flange of the rail R while the fastener A rests on the projecting portion 10 of the pad S.

In order to increase the extent to which the bolts B can pivot, .the outer wall of the vertical passageways 2 comprises a central recess 12 (FIG. 2) which has a semicylindrical shape and an axis which is upwardly and outwardly inclined. Further, in order to maintain each fastener A in its receiving position, a second recess 13 is provided in the upper face of the sleeper for receiving the loop portion 6. :Each recess 13 has the same shape as the corresponding recess 9 but is orientated at 90 to the latter this is, its axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail R. Further, the bottom 14 of the recess 13 is inclined relative to the horizontal so as to be perpendicular to the axis XX of the boltB when the latter is in its extreme outward position of inclination.

The rail R is replaced. by another rail in the following manner with the rail fixing means according to the invention:

The right fastener A (as viewed in FIG. 1) is shifted fromits normal track position to the position shown in FIG. 1 byunscrewing the corresponding bolt B and rorating the-fastenerthrough 90 about the axis XX of the bolt in the extreme outward position of inclination of the latter. The right fastener A is exactly guided into its new positionby the engagement ofits loop portion 6 in the recess 13 and is maintained in this position when The pad S is firmly maintained in'position by the edge of the loop portion 6 of each of the fasteners which exerts a pressure on the projecting portion 19 of this pad. The rail R can then be lifted by any mechanical means and removed. The pad and the fasteners remain in position.

It is also clear thatthe edges 11 of the fasteners A afford an efiicient guide for positioning the new rail, substituted for the old, in exactly the same position. The downward inclination of the bottom 14 from both sides of the beaming face of the rail has a double advantage. When the bolt is tightened so as to hold each of the fasteners in the retracted position, the axis of this bolt being then substantially perpendicular to the upper face of the fastener, the latter has no tendency to move laterally. It remains in the required position for positioning the new rail in exactly the same position. Further, the edge 11 of the inclined fastener makes with the upper face of the sleeper T for supporting the rail an angle exceeding and this serves to guide the new rail into its correct position. This relative inclination precludes damage to the fasteners or the bolts in the event that the new rail be lowered rather roughly and in an insufficiently precise position.

It will be understood that the invention will be all the more easier to apply with the minimum of modifications to existing sleepers and fixing means as the width of the fasteners is smaller. It is clear that an excessive increase in the additional angle of oscillation impartedto the bolt for shifting it away from the rail and a large amplitude of the additional divergence of the .wall 12 of the passageways 2 are not without drawbacks. Now there is one case in which the fasteners necessarily have greater width; it is when an electrical insulation of the rail from the sleeper is provided by interposition of a spigoted washer composed of insulating material between the boltand nut, on one hand, and the fastener, on the other. Inthis case, it is necessary to providerather large apertures 7 in the fastener in order to accornodate the spigot between their edges and the bolt extending therethrough. These larger apertures entail a wider fastener. For the purpose of facilitating carrying out the present invention-eespecially wheninsulating spigots and wider fasteners with enlarged bolt apertures are usedhigh-strength cold threaded bolts are advantageous. These bolts resist without fracture the contemplated stresses with a much smaller diameter than conventional bolts require. Experience has shown thattheoptimum diameter of ordinary bolts t be employed with this type of fastener is 22 mm. With these special bolts, the utilization of which is a feature of the present invention it is possible to reduce this diameter to less than 20 mm. and generally to 18 mm. according to research data obtained. Consequently it is possible to apply the invention, with the resulting advantages, to the most diflicult cases and in particulartothat in which the electrical insulation of the railmecessitates interposition of an insulating spigot or sleeve between the bolt and the fastener. The utilization of high-strength steel bolts thus permits reducing the dimensions and in particular the thickness of the head of thebolts. ThlS consequently extends the range of application of the presbeen described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing-from the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Rail fixing means comprising a concrete sleeper, a resilient pad placed on the upper'face of-v the sleeper and acting as a support for the flange of the rail, fasteners for fastening the rail to the sleeper and bolts for tightening down the fasteners and mountedin vertical passageways 'inthe sleeper in such manner as to be pivotable in a direction perpendicular to the bearing face of the rail, wherein the pad projects laterally on both sides of the bearing such outward inclination that their axis is at a distance from the flange of the rail, at the level of the latter, which is equal to at least one half the width of the fasteners, whereby the fasteners can be turned through 90 about the bolts so as to release the rail and yet maintain the pad in position on the sleeper by bearing on said projecting portions of the pad, the upper face of the sleeper comprising recesses for receiving the outer end of the fasteners when the latter have been turned through 90, these recesses having their axis perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the rail and to the axis of the bolts when the latter are in the extreme outer position of inclination.

2. Rail fixing means according to claim 1 wherein the outer wall of the vertical passageways is upwardly and outwardly inclined so as to increase the extent to which the bolts can pivot, the lower end of the passageway being in close proximity to the bolt.

3. Rail fixing means for fixing a rail having a flange, the fixing means comprising a concrete sleeper, a resilient pad placed on the upper face of the sleeper andacting as a support for the flange, fasteners for fastening the flange to the sleeper and having outer ends bearing on the sleeper, and bolts for tightening down the fasteners and mounted in vertically extending passageways formed in the sleeper, the bolts being axially locked in the passageways and pivotable in the passageways in a plane perpendicular to the rail between an inner position which the bolts have when holding the fasteners in the normal position of the fasteners for fixing the rail to the sleeper and an outer position in which the axis of each bolt is at a distance from the flange of the rail, in a horizontal plane containing the flange, which is equal to at least one half the width of the fasteners, the resilient pad projecting beyond the flange toward the bolts but stopping short of the bolts in said inner position thereof and undenlying a small portion of each fastener, whereby the fasteners can be turned through about the bolts to a rail release position when the bolts are in said outer position so as to release the flange and yet maintain the pad in position on the sleeper by bearing on said projecting portions of the pad, the upper face of the sleeper comprising recesses for receiving the outer ends of the fasteners when the latter have been turned through 90, said recesses having their axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail and to the axis of the bolts when the latter are in said outer position, whereby each fastener can be fastened down in a plane perpendicular to the bolt in said outer position of the flatter.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 221,964 Australia June 16, 1959 1,070,259 France Feb. 17, 1954 1,151,236 France Aug. 19, 1957 1,167,520 France Aug. 11, 1958 854,290 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1960 

1. RAIL FIXING MEANS COMPRISING A CONCRETE SLEEPER, A RESILIENT PAD PLACED ON THE UPPER FACE OF THE SLEEPER AND ACTING AS A SUPPORT FOR THE FLANGE OF THE RAIL, FASTENERS FOR FASTENING THE RAIL TO THE SLEEPER AND BOLTS FOR TIGHTENING DOWN THE FASTENERS AND MOUNTED IN VERTICAL PASSAGEWAYS IN THE SLEEPER IN SUCH MANNER AS TO BE PIVOTABLE IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE BEARING FACE OF THE RAIL, WHEREIN THE PAD PROJECTS LATERALLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BEARING FACE OF THE FLANGE OF THE RAIL, THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE VERTICAL PASSAGEWAYS, OF THE BOLTS AND OF THE FASTENERS BEING SUCH THAT THE BOLTS IN PIVOTING ARE CAPABLE OF ASSUMING SUCH OUTWARD INCLINATION THAT THEIR AXIS IS AT A DISTANCE FROM THE FLANGE OF THE RAIL, AT THE LEVEL OF THE LATTER, WHICH IS EQUAL TO AT LEAST ONE HALF THE WIDTH OF THE FASTENERS, WHEREBY THE FASTENERS CAN BE TURNED THROUGH 90* ABOUT THE BOLTS SO AS TO RELEASE THE RAIL AND YET MAINTAIN THE PAD IN POSITION ON THE SLEEPER BY BEARING ON SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS OF THE PAD, THE UPPER FACE OF THE SLEEPER COMPRISING RECESSES FOR RECEIVING THE OUTER END OF THE FASTENERS WHEN THE LATTER HAVE BEEN TURNED THROUGH 90*, THESE RECESSES HAVING THEIR AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO BOTH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE RAIL AND TO THE AXIS OF THE BOLTS WHEN THE LATTER ARE IN THE EXTREME OUTER POSITION OF INCLINATION. 